This invention relates generally to the optical quantitative determination of active substances, and more particularly to using nonlinear waveguides for quantitative determination. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Monitoring the levels of various chemical compounds and agents is important for environmental monitoring, the diagnosis, treatment and control of diseases as well as in law enforcement. Applications for monitoring include compact sensors, applicable to remote, real-time sensing of trace impurities (e.g. greenhouse gases, smog, smoke stack emissions, toxic chemical agents and water pollution to name a few) as well as to medical applications for the recognition of immobilized bio-molecules by means of frequency-agile lasers, and for infrared countermeasures used in the defense industry.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an optical quantitative detection device comprising: a nonlinear waveguide sensor having a top cladding layer with a top surface for interacting with a target molecule; a second waveguide; a second cladding layer optically coupling the nonlinear waveguide sensor to the second waveguide. Wherein optical excitation of the sensor and optical excitation of the second waveguide enables quantitative discrimination of a target molecule.